


What We're Doing

by Elennare



Category: Critical Role (Web Series)
Genre: Episode 50: Best Laid Plans, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-31
Updated: 2018-01-31
Packaged: 2019-03-12 01:37:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 656
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13536915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elennare/pseuds/Elennare
Summary: Two weeks, four dragons, and a death later, Vex answers Vax's question again.





	What We're Doing

The night is quiet and dark, no noises beyond the occasional scurrying wildlife in the farmland around them, no light but the distant stars. Shivering a little, Vex pulls her cloak tighter around herself.

“Vax?” she murmurs, just loud enough for his sharp ears to pick up.

“Yes?” he says in the same low tone.

“Do you remember, back in Emon, when we broke back into General Krieg’s house, before everything went to shit? And you asked me what we were doing?”

He gives a surprised, near-silent huff of laughter. “Yeah, I remember. That was… that feels like half a lifetime ago. You still think about that?”

She nods, before realising he probably can’t see her where she’s hidden in the high grass, using all her skills at survival and concealment in the wild. It really does feel like half a lifetime ago, and yet it's barely been two weeks. “I do… Finding Reginald made me think of it again, but I’ve been thinking about it ever since you asked, and especially since I died.”

She’s not sure if she sees him flinch, just the hint of a shiver from a dark shadow against the moonless night. Or perhaps she feels it, the vibration in the air, close as they’re sitting… Or maybe she just knows he’s flinched because he’s her twin and she knows him as well as she knows herself.

“I’ve been thinking,” she repeats, “and you were right that we’re not just surviving anymore, we haven’t been for a while now. This - this plan isn’t survival, it’s insanity, we’re going to walk into a city claimed by a dragon and battle a herd of goliaths!”

“Well, when you put it like that it sounds bad,” Vax answers, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Doesn’t it?” she says, matching his tone. “Survival would be running away from here as fast as we can.”

“Is that what you want?” he sounds surprised now.

“No!" She snorts softly, but for a split second, wonders what he'd have done if she said yes - not that she ever would. Oh, they could run, survive on their own, she knows that, they've done it before. But to leave now, abandon their friends, leave Tal'Dorei to its fate... They might survive, but they wouldn't be themselves any more.

"It’s… we’re going to die someday, all of us," she goes on. "If we die taking down the dragons who destroyed our home, taking down Thordak who took two homes from us, well… that’s a better death than hiding from them in some hole. Of course, if we can take them down and live, that’s better still! But if not… it’ll still be worth it.”

There’s a silence, and in the faint starlight Vex isn’t quite sure if the shadow she can barely make out is her brother or not.

“If you’ve walked away, you dick…”

The trailing threat is answered by a quiet chuckle. “I’m right here, sister. And you’re not going to die.”

“Of course not,” she answers, trying to lighten her words in response to the quietly desperate edge of his voice. “We’re going to rescue Pike’s grandfather, and kill Grog’s uncle, and save Westruun, and all of Tal’Dorei! And be heroes, and so so rich…”  

“Yeah, absolutely.”

“Tomorrow. All of it,” she teases.

“Well, that might be a bit much, but we will. Eventually. And you’re not going to die.” _Don’t you dare die in front of me again_ , she can hear the unspoken words. _Please don’t leave me holding your dead body again_.

“Neither are you,” she answers, her own unspoken words filling her throat. _Don’t you dare die in front of me_.

Carefully and quietly, she moves closer to him, until she can rest her head on his shoulder. He leans against her too, as they’ve done so many nights before, when all they had was each other, and they wait together for the sunrise.


End file.
